Friends, there is a stillness of heart and soul one must appreciate and long for. When the world demands noise and roars its desires, the Lord beckons us to steal away in His presence and just be still (Psalm 46:10). It is in the quietness of this moment where we shut out the world’s demands and wrap ourselves in the familiar embrace of knowing our God.
~Word for Life Says
“Out with the old, in with the new,” they say. Whether we are using that phrase to declutter closets or our lives, it awakens us to the possibility of allowing something fresh to enter.
Fresh can’t come when we hold on to unprofitable and unproductive things which is why countless individuals use the passing of the old year into the new as a marker for change in many areas of their lives.
As time goes by, we can often get into ruts or feel stale in our routines and daily lives, and we need this refreshing point to reinvigorate us, to reevaluate and reawaken our perspective, and challenge our resolve to do better and to do more. This is a time for redirecting paths that may have gone off-kilter in our relationships, work, ministry, health, life, etc.
When bringing in the new, what are we looking for? That is a question only you can answer for yourself.
When introducing the new for myself, I am looking for an increased awareness of distractions to my goals, which can help me navigate each one as it comes in a fitting manner.
Knowing that distractions will come since we live this thing called life, I am also trying to be more aware of my priorities. How do I best use my time each day to get the most out of the gifts and life God has given me? Am I spending the proper amount of time developing the things that I say are “priorities,” or am I just talking about them?
There is a measure of accountability with oneself that comes with those questions. Am I happy with what I see? If not, what can I do to improve those areas? Where and how can I inspire and challenge change?
Approaching the idea of new is not supposed to be stressful or put a sour taste in your mouth as you grit words of resolve through your teeth. It is a breath of fresh air, bringing with it renewed inspiration to work and/or improve areas of my own life where I desire to see positive adjustments made.
There are countless stories in the Bible where people had the chance to start over and walk into the new, but two of my favorites are Ruth and Abraham. I find their experiences encouraging for all who are pressing forward and inviting this level of change in their lives.
Ruth, especially, in the natural, lost everything. And when she was willing to walk away from everything familiar, comfortable, and reliable – she found what she was walking toward to be so much more fulfilling.
Her story, like Abraham’s, stretched them to go forward into an unknown future, and holding on to faith in God, they went. Neither one of them knew exactly where each step would lead, but they walked forward and were greatly rewarded for their press, for their diligence, and for their continued faith in God.
Starting over, bringing in the new, and allowing these fresh steps to happen can look different for each person. The example of Ruth and Abraham can teach us all a little something about letting go of an unprofitable past and moving forward in faith (take time to read their stories in the Bible).
I don’t know what last year looked like for you and can’t predict what’s in store for this year. As with Ruth and Abraham, we may not have all the answers about the future we are currently going into, but through it all, may we be found moving in the forward press of our faith in God. As we are walking into the new and opening the door of our lives to allow this freshness in, be confident that He has us, and may we continue holding on to Him as we trust in God’s guiding hand, for He is the “same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
“For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.” Psalm 48:14
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 118:8
Updated and Revised from January 1, 2022
Text Free Photo by Reynaldo #brigworkz Brigantty on Pexels.com
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Holy Affection,
upon my knees,
there I turn
with my heart’s pleas.
Near the cross
to Him, I bow,
request made known,
burdens laid down.
Unloaded griefs,
upon Christ, I stand,
blessed assurance,
promises in hand.
Helped and held
by relieving grace,
upon my knees,
I run this race.
Raised in courage,
full speed ahead,
for upon my knees,
my faith is fed.
“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21
Image by Arnie Bragg from Pixabay
Taking in the world view as a whole, we will see that all that is before us has a starting point. Every person we see began at the time of conception. Every leader had a first step that led to their position. Every nation had the birth of its people coming together as unified persons. Every plant started with a seed. And every building with a first brick being laid.
Creation has its origin as well. And it does not start with a cosmic bang. The wisdom, intelligence, plan, and sovereignty of God, thought through, designed, and put together all of the creation story.
Genesis 1:1, 2 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
“In the beginning” is not only the lesson/series title but also the biblical designation of when everything that follows these words actually occurred.
From the start, we are told about the start, and how it all began with “God.” (visit “God the Main Character” and “This Was God’s Doing | God is the Creator of All” found on site for further reading)
God, Himself, has no origin, as Isaiah verifies. Still, He is responsible for the origination of all: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding” (40:28).
From His eternal nature and wisdom, all the creation story below starts with God for He “created the heaven and the earth” (see also Job 26:7). All the history of all the beginnings has its foundations laid by our Heavenly Father: “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands” (Hebrews 1:10; see also Deuteronomy 10:14).
The whole scope of every part of creation is attributed to God alone (Genesis 2:4; Psalms 102:25; Isaiah 44:24; Revelation 14:7). Everything our eyes can see and not see, is in existence because the breath of God spoke it here; because He fashioned it: “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth” (Psalm 33:6), and by faith, it is to be believed: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3).
Nothing was anything before God created it: “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?” He asked Job, “declare, if thou hast understanding” (38:4). “Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;” (Job 38:5,6; I suggest reading Job 38 entirely).
Even the “earth” itself was “without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep” (see also Jeremiah 4:23). “He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding” (Jeremiah 51:15).
After the complete declaration of verse 1, accrediting God alone as Creator of all, the complexities and intricacies of all that it entails begin to come to life, starting with the state of the earth itself.
Originally called into creation, there was nothing there. But out of this nothingness, something beautiful would form from the formless. That without content and composure would be permeated with the purpose of God’s design.
As of yet, it lay empty in its state without the specifics of creation, but God was getting ready to change it into something more: “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
Psalm 104:30 says, “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.” God as One, shows every part of Himself (Father, Son, and Spirit) being present at the time of creation (see also John 1:1-3).
The same “Spirit,” with a capital S, found throughout the Bible as the promised Comforter (John 14:6), the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:7), the One who filled believing men and women, and in Paul’s prayer for strength in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16), is the same Spirit at work at creation in the beginning.
Genesis 1:3-5 “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
“And God said.” Each day of the six days of creation began with these three words. By God’s design and by His word, the voice of God broke through the nothingness, took authority over the creation story, and spoke His divine will for each day.
And for day one, the command was, “Let there be light.” One of my favorite games to play as a child was focused on light: “Spotlight Tag.” It was played at night when it became dark enough outside. It was a game somewhat like hide-and-seek except the finding and tagging was done with flashlights. When the children hid, they could only be found when the person that was “it” shone a light on them, saying, “Spotlight on ________ (whoever it was).”
Light is pivotal when one wants to illuminate something.
On day one, light was created and entered the world. Although not noted by a specific source as the flashlight was at this point, it still came with the purpose of adding illumination and delineation from the present darkness where none existed before.
And the light was considered “good” by God. Now there was a defining separation. Light and darkness could not cohabitate, rather they are given their own special designations with God calling the light “Day” and the darkness He called “Night.”
Genesis 1:6-8 “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
On day two the heavens were created, referred to as “firmament,” or as we know it, the sky. In verse two, we see there was no distinction between the waters that were upon the earth, no space between the waters that were above or below (v. 7), The firmament provided this space of separation. It set boundaries and these boundaries were called “Heaven” (v.8). There is now a visible sky with clouds floating upon the waves of the atmosphere. The Bible tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork” (Psalm 19:1).
Genesis 1:9-13 “And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day.”
Day three was particularly active in that we see more form come to that which was formless. We see God’s design begin to come alive more vividly as the putting together of different aspects of creation takes on more definition and purpose.
Now the waters under the heavens are called to move into more defined spaces, gathering into “Seas.” And out of these Seas, “dry land” was called forth and recognized as “Earth.”
Although we refer to the whole planet as Earth, in the beginning, it was the designation of the ground beneath the feet.
If you find yourself in the privileged position to stand on the shore of any massive body of water where the land and seas meet, take a moment while looking out at the vastness of it all and appreciate the fact that this is here because the voice of God commanded it to be (see also Psalm 95:3-5).
“And so it was” reminds us that whatever God speaks must happen and obey as He commands.
Then, the earth was called to bring “forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth.”
Every imaginable and unimaginable plant, tree, herb, and seed was called into existence. The apple you eat today was originally called to inhabit the earth by the voice of God.
When they were called into existence, all types, be they perennials, annuals, weeds, fruit, or what have you, they came forth and followed the marching orders of God and took up residence and established roots of fruitfulness upon the once barren dry land.
Every conceivable produce has ancestor heritage in one form or another that goes back to the time of the beginning, and many reappear through Scripture attached with significant meaning.
Genesis 1:14-19 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”
On day one light was called, here specific “lights” (with an s) are created “in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night.”
The day will come when there will be no longer a need for these specific lights (Rev. 22:5; Is. 60:19), but while they are here, they help us manage the telling of times and seasons (Psalm 104:19).
They not only illuminate the sky in their given tasks, but they give us points of reference in our grand scale of living.
The “two great lights” we refer to as the sun and moon are given the charge to rule over the day and night (compare Psalm 74:16). Worshipping these objects of creation has been a downfall of humanity since the beginning. While we don’t do that, we can be appreciative of these huge visible reminders of God’s handiwork throughout history from the start of it all.
When you feel the warmth of the sun on your face or you view the moon rising in the star-lit sky, you can thank God for what He has done then, and what He can and will do now, and in the times to come.
“He made the stars also.” Scientists may attribute the stars in the sky to an extremely complex process of gas and dust, but in the beginning, we are assured that the significance of their presence high above is because God made them also regardless of their makeup, and He knows each one individually: “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4).
Using the simple process of His authoritative speech and power over all creation, in the same way He called everything else forth, is the same way the stars arrived in the skies above.
“God set them in the firmament.” God specifically placed them in the right place to perform their jobs perfectly. Careful planning indeed.
In our homes, we place ornaments and knick-knacks in precisely the best location for style and aesthetics, but the carefulness of God’s placement of these lights was for neither style nor aesthetics, they were divinely purposed (compare Jeremiah 31:35).
In Psalm 104:2 we see the psalmist attributing to God as the one “who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain.” Can a man even fathom to catch one star that falls from the sky, let alone stretch out the heavens with galaxy upon galaxy and universe upon universe? God can. As a matter of fact, in His wisdom in the beginning all He had to do was speak a word and creation obeyed and came into existence. All in the sky that looks to be stretched out as a cosmic curtain twinkling above our heads is because God is the one who made it to be so.
Side Note: With such carefulness and attention to detail in the creation of this world, do not think that your life is any less purposed or carefully planned by God’s divine plan as well: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3,4). I’m so glad He is mindful of us.
Genesis 1:20-23 “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.”
Life appears. Living and moving creatures come forth. The existence of sea life begins to swim and move in the waters. Imagine them taking their places, setting up habitats among the reefs, and going about their business as if they had always been.
Psalm 104:25-26 tells us, “So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.” “Innumerable” creatures come to life by God’s design.
For every creature dwelling there we know nothing about, God knows the makeup of their design from the inside out. He knows their identity. He knows the places they swim and hide. What seems impossible to explore and uncover all the intricacies of all life that may dwell in the deepest of the waters, God already understands their mysteries and purpose.
On this same day, birds take to the sky. Wings spread and life begins to soar. Dipping and diving below the clouds, they test their created abilities to new heights and just fly. Amazing! (Check out this poem I wrote about a bird and be encouraged by God’s design.)
Oh, the beauty that must have been in the Heavenly Father’s sight as He witnessed all this new life take off and begin to inhabit the places He created.
“It was good.” You know that space in your house that you finally got decluttered and organized, and now you don’t have to cringe when walking by it anymore? In fact, you go out of your way to look at the transformed space it has become, and you think to yourself, how wonderful and good it is.
My friend, God’s good is so much more.
“God blessed them.” God did something He had not done with the previous days of creation. He commanded a blessing over life: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.” Life is of utmost importance to God and protecting life that it continues was in the grand scale of His perfect plan.
Genesis 1:24-27 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
“The living creature.” As the sea life and birds populated the waters and sky, so too did these come forth to inhabit and populate the earth.
Notice there is no discrepancy in the creation story. No parts are left unfinished or wanting. All are in His mind, and all come to fruition in His story.
“And it was so.” The course of the creation story continued to follow the protocol it was given. Every being formed, gained breath, and became everything God designed them to be. As they entered the realm of creatures that are now living, they entered fulfilling divine purpose: “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm…” (Jeremiah 27:5).
“After their kind.” Today, through years of studies by many professionals, we recognize the specific genetic makeup of the various beings that dwell on this earth. Interestingly, and encouraging for the believer, is that we recognize the hand of God in authoring these specific genetic makeups.
Every living creature had the built-in ability to reproduce after its own kind, or its own genetic makeup. From the beginning, it has always been so.
Therefore, there are no needed discussions for evolutionary this and that. What it is, is what it produces. Outside of the interference of man, what it is, is what it will keep producing.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Evolutionary experts will try to take you through billions of years of history to explain the origin of life, civilization, and this world, which they have never known or seen. But “theory” tells them they are right.
Yet, there is a God who has always been and always will be who recorded our earth’s history for us, letting us know that we are a beautiful part of His holy plan.
Here’s the thing, both require some sort of leap of faith. But the walk of faith we have seen played out in the historical, written record of the Bible, along with other non-biblical texts that support its work, in addition to great archeological discoveries doing the same, tells us, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that their theories are wrong, and our God is right: “Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?…” (Malachi 2:10).
Therefore, in the beginning, this is how it all went down according to the authority of God’s written record, the Holy Bible, which says, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me…” (Psalm 119:73; emphasis added).
And I assure you, my friend, on that same authority, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
I have only touched on the creation of man here because I have an entire lesson dedicated to that subject, along with the seventh day of rest in part two of the “In the Beginning” Series.
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” Romans 1:20
PDF Printable Sunday School Lesson Pack (With easy to read instructions following the P.E.A.R.L. format on how to conduct each lesson with areas for adding personal notes): Sunday School Lesson – In the Beginning – Part 1 The Creation Story
Lesson Prep Opening Idea: “In the beginning…” As our lesson will state, everything has a beginning except for God who is from “everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2). Therefore, in the beginning of the world and the universe as we know it today, God was already there, orchestrating events and the particulars of the creation story.
Every day of creation began with “And God said.” To demonstrate this as an opening object lesson, set up a row of dominoes in whatever configuration you would like. The first domino is the “beginning” domino, and when it falls over, at its moving, all the other parts of the configuration will move and fall as well.
During the days of the creation story, whenever God, in the beginning, spoke, that part of creation came to pass and fell into its proper place (topple the first domino and watch the effect take place).
Journaling: Tonight, if the skies are clear (or on the next clear night), take a few minutes to stargaze and/or take out your cell phone and photograph the wonders above that you see. Allow yourself a few minutes to reflect on the greatness of God based on what you have observed. Jot down what you see or feel on this Blank Journal Page and let the awe of God wash over you as you reacquaint yourself with the majesty of His power and wisdom in the creation story.
Or as Day #3 in the lesson suggests, if you find yourself in the privileged position of standing on the shore of any massive body of water where the land and seas meet, take a moment while looking out into the vastness of it all and appreciate the fact that this is here because the voice of God commanded it to be, and record your thoughts and inspiration (this can be done with any or all days or points of the creation story).
Further Journaling Options:
Adult Journal Page: Adult Journal Page – The Creation Story
Kids Journal Page: Kids Journal Page – The Creation Story
Earth Mobile Craft: Using a hanger, wooden rod, or stick, students can attach the earth printable to remind them of God’s power displayed in the creation story. Color and cut the printable and duplicate the smaller circles until you have seven (one for each day). In the smaller circles, draw pictures or write words describing what occurred during that particular day in the beginning. Note: While we may have to hang a paper earth on something to keep it up, God hangs the real earth on nothing but His power to keep it up (Job 26:7). PDF: The Creation Story Earth Mobile Craft
Apple Stamp Picture: Regarding day 3 of the creation story, I wrote in the lesson, “The apple you eat today was originally called to inhabit the earth by the voice of God.” As a reminder that everything was called by God, make an apple stamp picture. Cut apples in half, dip in paint, and allow students to make and decorate apple stamp pictures. Attach or write Genesis 1:11 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.”
(Something similar can be done with day 4 using star stickers on a page for decorating with the corresponding verse from Genesis 1:16 “He made the stars also.”) As a side note, any day of creation can be pinpointed and punctuated with corresponding pictures and verses.
Memory Verse Game: Using an inflatable globe (or ball as a substitute), teach students the memory verse by having them rehearse the verse every time the ball lands in their hands. Put the ball into play in whatever form you like (ex. Toss it in the air and whoever catches it repeats the memory verse. That one, in turn, can toss it into the air or to another student, then they too must repeat the verse, and so on.)
Another version of this is to play music. As the globe or ball is passed around the circle of students, when the music stops, whoever has the globe or ball is to say the memory verse. What a fun way to remember God created all.
Word Search: The Creation Story Word Search Answers: The Creation Story Word Search Answers
Crossword: The Creation Story Crossword Answers: The Creation Story Crossword Answers
Word Scramble: The Creation Story Word Scramble Answers: The Creation Story Word Scramble Answers
Memory Verse: The Creation Story Memory Verse
How Many Words: The Creation Story How Many Words
Text Free Top Image by WikiImages from Pixabay
It is never written in Scripture, “Thou shalt have a sour life.” Neither is it written that all our days will be favorable and turn out how we want it. But what is written is that we can still rejoice (Philippians 4:4).
Repeatedly the Bible tells the story of joy.
Yes, I know we see the battles and the ups and downs of the human heart and life, but the Word expresses the presence of joy from its beginning to its end.
But most miss out on it because joy for them is not found where they are looking.
For the saint, joy is not a passing fling of emotion nor is it contingent upon circumstances where most identify their source of joy.
It’s a holy takeover on the inside that overrides the human viewpoint, logic, or feelings. It’s something beautiful, an almost unexplainable feeling on the inside because of this holy connection with the Father.
How else could the apostles rejoice at being beaten for the Lord (Acts 5:41)? How else could psalms be written that see by faith the joy ahead though one is enduring the weeping of night (Psalm 30:5)? How is it that Habakkuk writes of failures and things not working out as one had hoped for (3:17), and yet, still declare, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (3:18)?
Because at the center of all these lives, as Habakkuk so eloquently put it, God is the reason for their joy. Not what is or what is not working out in their lives.
So much so, the psalmist, in the middle of his lament for vindication and troubles, still recognizes God as his “exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4), refocusing his heart even in the middle of hurt.
David also, receiving forgiveness and restoration after the confession of his sin with Bathsheba, wrote the command, “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart” (Psalm 32:11).
Are you struggling to find joy today? Psalms encourages us, “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee…” (70:4).
Where are you looking for joy?
Real joy, regardless of circumstance, can only be found where those in Scripture found their joy: in God alone through our Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself looked past the pain of the cross (Hebrews 12:2), found joy in God the Father and His plan of salvation that would be for the redeeming of those who would turn to Him.
We find our joy in the presence and person of God in our lives. For as the holy Scriptures say, “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15).
Text Free Image by Arnie Bragg from Pixabay
You have welcomed us
into Your throne room.
You have welcomed us
into Your grace.
You have welcomed us
into Your pleasure.
You have welcomed us
before Your face.
No scepter for Esther
needs to extend.
For the cross has bought
the passage within.
In the courts of the King,
we are invited to come.
Favor has blessed us
through His dear Son.
To approach and pray
without fear or doubt.
Worries, burdens, and troubles
are there, cast out.
Queen Esther, taking her life in her hands, went before the king not knowing if she would find favor to enter the courts for him to hear her petition (Esther 4:16; 5:2).
Not so with our Heavenly Father. Through Jesus Christ, we have obtained a welcome invitation to come: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” Hebrews 4:16.
With no fear in your heart, come, for you are welcomed before the King of all Kings.
Top Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay
Have you ever participated in one of those throwback posts? You know the ones. This was me or us, five, ten, or even fifteen years ago.
These “blasts from the past” moments can bring smiles to our faces. Some for the fondness of the memory presented. Some, let’s be real, because we can’t believe we wore our hair that way or dressed like that, and so on.
These moments can be fun but viewing bygone days can also be a time of sobering contemplation. It was something the Israelites became acutely aware of years after returning home from their captivity.
Reading in Nehemiah 9, the priests and the Levites recorded Israel’s history. In telling their story, they showed the ups and downs of what their nation experienced.
Starting with Abram and how he became the one through whom God would establish His covenant, through their time of Egyptian slavery, wilderness wanderings, and beyond, the testimony of their story was written.
Noted in the recitation of their history was the many times Israel chose disobedience rather than God’s Law, their way opposed to His, and because of that, many times it is recorded they faced enemies and had to deal with life in the less-than-ideal way God intended.
But, in contrast to their faithlessness, God continued to show Himself faithful. While they strayed and suffered the consequences due to it, God turned to them, kept His covenant, and showed them mercy time and again (Vv. 17, 19, 27-28, 31-32 – verses can be found below). God stepped in the middle of their mess and restored them.
His history of mercy is mind-boggling, not only for Israel but for us as well.
Anyone in a true relationship with Christ will readily admit that we had much litter trashing the roads of our past. The history of the streets we have walked has not always been the cleanest they could be.
Our personal testimonies tell the story of what once was, the choices we made, and the grace and mercy God performed in our lives.
While our history may not be the best to look at, God’s mercy is.
For in it, we find God’s love working in ways human love cannot fathom. We see Him giving us blessings and care we didn’t deserve (grace) and withholding things we do deserve (mercy).
If we took the time as the priests and Levites did, and recited our personal histories, how often do we see the hand of God show up with mercy in tow?
The longer I live, the more chances I have to reflect. In that reflection, I see new, and even more ways God has shown up when I did not deserve it.
Today, I truly thank God for His mercy shown.
When you look back on your history, can you see those mercy moments you’ve experienced? Thank God for each and every one for they are a sobering reminder of His unfailing love.
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” Psalm 86:5
Nehemiah 9 verses from above:
“And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.” (Nehemiah 9:17)
“Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.” (Nehemiah 9:19)
“Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies.” (Nehemiah 9:27-28)
“Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.” (Nehemiah 9:31-32)
Thank You, God, for all the mercies shown in our bygone days, for the mercy of salvation, and for the mercy of today:
“(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.” Deuteronomy 4:31
“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.” Psalm 116:5
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;” Daniel 9:9
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Micah 7:18
“And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” Luke 1:50
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;” 2 Corinthians 1:3
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,” Ephesians 2:4
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:5
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” John 14:6. Therefore Father God, today we pray that many would find that way, that truth, and that life. We are praying for hearts to come and submit to Your holy will. We pray that people will find the grace and mercy they seek in You. We pray for many souls to pursue You, for many eyes to look to You and find the deliverance and salvation needed for their eternal security.
We pray for chains to be broken, O God, for spirits to be made free. We pray for newness of life and hope to shine upon a life today as they discover the joy of entering into a holy relationship with You.
You, O God, are the One that makes a difference in our lives. So, we pray they would find You through Your gift of salvation, our Lord Jesus Christ. AMEN.
“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:5
As a child being afraid of the dark, nighttime was not pleasant for me. Some nights rest would be hard to come by and I would wake my sister from her bed to come with me so that I could get some rest. There was something about the presence of having someone there with me in that dark time that was comforting.
Dark times and seasons of weariness can keep people balled up in a bundle of nerves. But, when they realize someone is with them, someone is there holding their hand through the tough seasons; it helps them endure until they arrive on the other side of the difficulty they were facing.
Times of unrest may come in many ways. The word “unrest” means that things are disturbed from their normalcy. Suddenly, things do not look or feel like they usually do. One can wake up to a world in a moment that is different and unfamiliar because of certain events. Things like this make people nervous about what is going on. That nervousness can turn to fear and panic. But for those who have attached themselves to the Lord, throughout the Word, He speaks of comfort and rest in times of uncertainty.
Moses in the past needed reassurance about continuing to lead the children of Israel, and God spoke this promise to him: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Exodus 33:14). Those words would, no doubt, carry him through the difficult task of leading a multitude of people who were often referred to as being “stiffnecked” (vs. 5). Those very people he led and labored over and prayed for would test his patience many times over, but I can imagine those reassuring words God spoke to him kept feeding encouragement to his soul – because, even when it did not look like or feel like it, Moses knew he was not alone. He may not always be able to rely on people, but Moses could always rely on God, and oh, what comfort that is in the darkest of times.
Later, Moses would be instructed to pass this same level of encouragement on to the people because there would be days, and there would be battles they would face which would seem to be much more than they could handle. But Moses relayed this message to them: “When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 20:1). On the way to the Promised Land there would be some times of fighting – but their certainty in the midst of everything they would face; their rest, would be found in the presence of God with them.
And that is the key to finding rest in times of unrest. It is realizing, that as a child of God, no matter what we face, we do not face it alone. The fighting may still be there. The dark days may seem to eclipse the good – but through it all we are never alone. There is great comfort in that, and we still have that promise with us today, and His name is Jesus.
Although this is not the Christmas season, we are still reminded of what was spoken of Him by the prophet, saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23; see also Isaiah 7:14).
“God with us.” Those beautiful words of reassurance were spoken to Joseph, but they are words of reassurance to us all – “God with us.” In the darkness, He is there, with His people, promising to never leave them, nor forsake them (Hebrews 13:5). In the uncertainty, it is His presence that allows us to find rest. That is why David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). David found reassurance in knowing that God was with him in the dark valleys of life.
We have seen how God’s presence brought rest in the most trying times in the past, and we have the reassurance of Jesus (God with us) with us even today. But we also have this promise into eternity. Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3; emphasis mine). Regardless of the uncertainty and unrest we face, there we will have a heavenly joy that will never fade away. There we will have “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4), untouched and unbothered by the things we see down here that are before us.
But, to get there. To receive that reassurance of rest for today and for that time to come, you must be born again. You must be saved. The Bible tells us, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8; also see 2 Chronicles 15:2).
Are you seeking to draw near to Him today? Jesus is the only true rest that you will find in any time of unrest. But only those who attach themselves to Him can claim this promise for their life: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
We have “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But, as the Son of God, Jesus came and died for our sins that we might be free (John 3:16; John 8:36). The Bible tells us, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
If you want to find true rest and be in right standing before God, you need to surrender your life to Jesus Christ and accept Him as your personal Savior.
After hearing Peter’s powerful message on the day of Pentecost, the hearts of the people were pricked, and they asked, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). In the very next verse, it says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
Jesus once said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27, 28). Do you hear Him calling you today? Will you answer the call? In Christ Jesus is the only place where you will ever find rest in times of unrest. With Jesus, you will never have to fear the dark.
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Joy is not a passing fling for the believer. His heart is ever rejoicing because the God of all heaven instills in him the ability to find a reason to praise regardless of the season one is encountering. Be it sunny skies or rainy days, the seed of praise still grows in the heart of His, and their joyfulness cannot be sequestered. Even if the skies or tides do not turn in our favor, God above all, is still worthy to be praised.
As noted in “Singing in the Rain,” dreary situations may come, and times of trouble and hardship can arise, but our hope for these less-than-fair days, and every day, is in our Heavenly Father. Therefore, whether sloshing through the rain of affliction or traipsing through the meadows of peace, we can say, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” Psalm 43:5.
Our hope is in God who never changes even if our situations do.
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” Romans 12:12
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